“We have a considerable bias towards simplification and in many situations will reduce a complex multidimensional issue to a one-dimensional form more conducive to an either/or decision. Complexity thinking looks to recognising the situations where this is invalid …”
The emerging field of Complexity Science is highly relevant to the ecological paradigm for mental health that we are proposing.
In The Philosophy of Complexity, Chris Lucas identifies three main strands in complexity thought:
- Systems thinking (incorporating cybernetics) which relates to non-specific systems.
- Organic thinking (including evolution) relating to non-static systems.
- Connectionist thinking (attractor based) relating to non-reductionism.
… and looks at each of these in turn.
You can read his article here.
Other posts about a coherent system:
Is the chemical imbalance an ‘urban legend’? An exploration of the status of the serotonin theory of depression in the scientific literature
Researchers question the foundational assumptions of neuropsychology
Diagnosis as Self-Understanding & Self-Alienation: what you need to know about your diagnosis